First Night attendance in Salem low, officials say

By D.a. Wilkinson

SALEM — Attendance at the sixth annual First Night Salem was noticeably low.

Michael A. Grimstad, one of the two coordinators of the event, said attendance was “one-third of what it should be” at the New Year’s Eve celebration.

Bill Schilling, Webmaster for the event and a musician who played during it, said he had no information on attendance. The event’s Web site had been receiving more hits before the event, a sign that it was attracting patrons, he said.

However, Schilling said, “The attendance looked way down to me.”

Weather forecasts may have played a role in the turnout. An advisory for icy conditions throughout the evening was broadcast just as businesses shut down and the New Year’s Eve celebration began.

However, the icy conditions didn’t materialize or affect vehicles passing through the city, much less the carriage rides that were offered during the event.

David Schwartz, the second coordinator with Grimstad, said that the event had come up short financially, though all the revenue has not come in.

He said that because of the poor economy, some families may not have been able to afford the $10 badges for entry into events.

He estimated that the First Night funding might be down about $2,000. He said that works out to about 200 people not buying badges and said First Night should have no trouble coming up with the money.

wilkinson@vindy.com